


golden hour.

by anqel



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, High School
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2019-11-18 23:12:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18127772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anqel/pseuds/anqel
Summary: He wanted a normal life.You needed a little more excitment.Fate let the two of you meet somewhere in the middle.





	1. spotlight

**Author's Note:**

> sup! once again i’m posting a fic on multiple sites 🥵 who gone beat my ass tho
> 
> this one should consistently update weekly, so long as i don’t forget 🚶♂️ the only thing is this story is experimental so bare with me as i try to figure out where it’s going lol
> 
> y’all know the drill:
> 
> 1 kudos = 1 prayer  
> 1 comment = 1% strength to continue writing 💀

Beams of light stretched across the bedroom from the opened window. Warm rays of golden orange and rich reds filled the small space; flecks of dust dance in the sun's spotlight as the soft breeze shifts the curtains in and out of place. He interrupts the stillness of the room only _momentarily_ to strip himself of his school uniform and into a more comfortable set. Today the delicate cotton of a pair of jogger sweats and a graphic tee would be the closest luxury he could get towards relaxation. 

With a near solid **thump** and a small bounce back, Ichigo fell onto his bed with a sigh. It was nearly comedic, _really_ , how much his friends seemed to have grown accustomed to the mess of a life that was fated to them. None of them were children, but he couldn't always seem to suppress the feeling that all of the responsibilities suddenly thrown on him should have been left to adults….or rather, someone more used to responsibilities than him… Hell, actually, he almost wished he this shit wasn't actually a problem in the first place. Truthfully, the fact that his life had become a cycle of protecting the lives of those he loved wasn't a regret of his-

It was the fact that he used to _just_ be a high school student, with **regular** friends, **regular** problems, and **regular** responsibilities that threw him off. Now he was a substitute soul reaper, and had to push his body to the limits and fight just to stay alive. Problems stack onto each other like building blocks. One day he's not strong enough, one day there's a part of him so powerful it tries to take over and destroy him and everything he loved. Even with that, before he can get the chance to be upset about the loss of a battle, there's some new antagonist sniffing him out. 

At any rate, he just wants a second to be _human_. To live a normal life, to figure out normal issues. To find time to do his homework between hanging out with his friends. To sit down and eat a meal with his family… as intrusive and eccentric as they may be. 

But a moment like that is hard to come by. Even now, sprawled out on his bed with his forearm shielding his eyes from the intensity of the golden hour, he is reminded that he does not have time to feel sorry for himself. Kon, Rukia, Renji and many others seem to sense when he is spiraling into a bad mood, and make it their mission to engage him in some weird act to force him into his regular character…

Even knowing his friends would be there for him, he couldn't help but to lay there. He didn't let himself go as far as to let the burning sensation in his eyes force out a river of steamy tears, he could always manage to put up a strong enough front to hold that back. It was enough to just lay there, feeling the coolness of the shadows circling around the sun and dimming the natural light in his room. These feelings of confusion and sadness stripped him of hunger and energy as the sun descended into the horizon, shedding the vast sky canvas of all pinks and orange tones with it and leaving behind the starry midnight blue sky. 

Luckily, his prayer for normalcy was heard, and his phone didn't beep once to signal a hollow for the rest of the night. Regardless, the day was still wasted. He hadn't even managed to open his backpack to view its contents. He'd manage on a test somehow, probably. 

Of course, the answer to his dilemma was simple. If he felt like he couldn't handle protecting everyone the way he wanted to, all he had to do was get **stronger**. If he couldn't defeat the powerful entity within him, all he had to do was get more _power_. There's plenty of resources available for him to get what he wants, but it was all so time consuming and exhausting. 

The day was over anyway, he'd just have to sleep away the feeling of inadequacy tonight and do better in the morning… **.**


	2. anpan, melonpan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> somehow i got sick 😷 and i also have a new job! updates for this story should still come weekly, other stories however.... who knows 🥴 
> 
> unfortunately lunaescence is down! it may very well be the end of the site forever 💀💀💀 my fics hadn’t validated on there for weeks. hopefully my old readers will find me here 😔
> 
> thanks for the kudos reviews and bookmarks! i was surprised that even a few of you were still checking the bleach tab lol
> 
> please continue to comment! i love replying to you! 
> 
> also pls send me healthy energy i’m tired of this sinus infection or cold or whatever 
> 
> 1 kudos = 1 prayer  
> 1 comment = 1 kleenex

You flattened out your skirt in the mirror, and turned to make sure you had tucked in your half zip pullover correctly. It was a soft yellow beige, and a tad oversized for your frame. It allowed the crisp white collar of your uniform shirt to peep through, and accented the red bow tied around your neck. It was part of the standard uniform for girls attending Karakura High School, and you weren't too devious in your accessorizing of it, opting only for a small pink heart charm you looped into the hem of your skirt. You had only gone into the restroom to freshen up before lunch, and you waved a goodbye to the classmates that joined you on your quick trip as you headed out.

Most days, you took the break as a ticket to alone time. In the West Wing on the third floor, there's an unused classroom that the school uses primarily to store old desks and other materials. You came across it by mistake one day, but since then have taken it as your own secret haven within the school. The old dusty room has one long window, and is a maze of desks piled onto one another- save for the one you normally take down in the back away from the door. The lights flicker and hum from prolonged underuse when you turn them on, and since discovering that you opt for the natural sunlight instead whenever you go in. You hold nothing against your other third year friends on the East Wing- in fact you love them dearly. It's just nice to escape the never resting world and take a moment of silence for yourself every now and then. Sometimes you nap until the break is over, but most of the time you finish whatever work you hadn't managed in between working with your guardian after school and handling everything else. Admittedly, you have to remind yourself not to take school so seriously. Any work you get after a lecture you try to do during break in this room, and any work that you don't manage to complete by the end of the day ends up being done in here too. On a day like today, where you've already completed a majority of the work you had, you treat yourself to a few treats from the cafe, or from the shop you worked in the day before.

You make yourself comfortable in the dim classroom, seating yourself in your self claimed desk in the back before pulling out a small plastic wrapped bun. Your long lashes flutter over your lids as you offer a soft “Itadakimasu” before peeling it open. Ever studious, even while eating, you flip open a notebook and click a pen into use before taking your first bite. With the hand with the writing utensil, you quickly tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear before leaning over and scribbling next to your notes from earlier, clarifying some shorthand and fixing misspelling. 

You loved to keep yourself busy, it was the type of life you were used to. 

The sweet pastry cream tasted somewhat like melon...or was it tea? You really couldn't figure the taste out, since you just happened to grab the first thing you saw. The lecture from earlier wasn't too hard to follow. You'd probably be able to get through the assignment within fifteen minutes, and your break was about thirty. You took another bite…. _it was definitely some sort of melon bun_. Your gaze shifted from the notebook to the bun. _Yeah, definitely melon_ …. It was a pale green custard with a fruity smell to it, but it was too late to be picky about the sweet filling. It wasn't your _favorite_ , but-

The door slid open, and you immediately tensed, squeezing the custard out in your hand- and projecting some onto your face. With a jump, your cheeks rosened to a dark red hue, and you gasped. 

A sleepy looking boy around your age had stuck his head in the door, and what an unusual color his hair was! Almost immediately following your surprised reaction, he sputtered out an apology,

“Shit, sorry- I didn't mean to scare you!” He followed your embarrassment with second hand of his own, and slammed the door shut before you could say or do anything in return.

Outside the door, he stood flushed at your actions, unsure if he had witnessed something he shouldn't have or not. He fumbled for a moment to find something to do with himself, rotating from scratching the back of his head to reaching back for the door, to retreating his hands to his pockets and taking a step back from the door. He slowly took a step away from the classroom, but resulted only to circling back in front of the door. Well, he _did_ go there to find a quiet place to study, and this was the only free room in the West Wing he knew of. 

By now, of course, you had cleaned yourself off, and were undergoing your own mental battle. Should you go back to find him? You did hear a few footsteps, but not enough for him to have gone too far. He didn't seem to be there to cause any trouble, but he did have a potty mouth like any other delinquent, not that you were afraid of holding down your own ground…. But this was just a classroom, and not _technically_ yours, so it wouldn't be right to hog it. 

You slowly stood and took a step towards the door when it slid open again, this time you froze in your movements, watching as the boy once again made an effort to enter.

“Sorry, I just… needed a quiet place is all. Mind if I join you?” He asked, only half acknowledging your presence in the room. His gaze seemed to be fixated on the desk near the window.

With a quick and somewhat awkward bow, you responded, “No, I don't mind. Sit wherever you like, it’s fine.”

The door clicked and he gave a small thanks before maneuvering between the stacked desks and sitting in the one furthest from the door. You stood back straight, taking a peek at the student. He pulled out a pile of work from his bag, sighing at the thick book and stack of papers he arranged on the small table. Reclaiming your seat opposite the room of him, you slowly went back to penning into your notebook, and completing your assignment. It didn't take nearly as long as you originally thought, but the time seemed to shrink significantly whenever you peeked over at the boy's stack of work. Was he an upperclassman? That'd probably explain the workload. Unless he had been absent a lot for some reason…. You tucked your work back into your bag and leaned onto your desk, faking a nap in the bury of your arms in order to study him a little more. Curiosity was really tugging at you, trying to look for any reason to speak with him. Manners nevertheless shied you away from disturbing him though, as you could see him visibly trying to suppress his frustration with the amount of work. You turned your head around and buried it further into your arms, trying to shift your attention to taking a nap instead of letting his mood affect yours. It was contagious, really. As his brows furrowed, your eyes squinted in attempts to see what was giving him such a headache and how you could help, but as time passed you noticed his pencil slowed, and it seemed like the problems were coming less and less from the schoolwork. He had taken a moment to glance out the window, and you took that chance to close your eyes. 

Moments passed without any more sounds of his pencil against the paper, but the silence quickly broke to a slow deep rumble. You sat up in your seat, half unsure of the source or meaning of the noise, and turned to see the boy once again flustered. You tilted your head slightly in a bout of confusion, before realizing the source was his stomach! Bright eyes widened with sudden realization, and a light laugh escaped your lips, making the blush creeping over his cheeks flare into a deeper crimson. 

You grabbed your tote and navigated over to his side of the classroom. Taking down a desk, you carefully lifted and set it in front of his, turning it face to face with the boys, and set two packaged buns on the empty space in front of him.

“It's not much…” You started, before taking out a small canned coffee and placing it next to the snacks. It wasn’t much, in fact it almost embarrassed you, the amount of sugary contents you kept at ready…. But you’d blame that on your dad. Your lips curled into an affectionate smile before you continued,

“But really, you can have as much as you want.” 

With his cheeks still dusted pink, you could tell he was searching for a way to politely decline your offer. To that, you shook your head, and even tore an end of the plastic off the cream filled bun and placed it in his hands. 

“I’m serious, you obviously can’t focus on whatever you’re doing. You have a lot to do, and school’s only halfway through for the day… You should eat this, really. And drink the coffee too, maybe it’ll help.” Your statements, or perhaps your gentle but forceful actions, seemed to convince him enough to take a bite of the golden brown pastry. There was a slight glaze on the bun that glistened in the light from the window. You looked up from the bun as he chewed, catching the glimmer in his brown eyes before he looked away to the window.

With a mouth full of the soft pastry, he muttered, “Thank you- I… appreciate it.”

You nodded, taking this moment now to look down at his work space. The book was the same one from one of your classes, and some of the work seemed familiar. It was for sure the same subject, just different material.

“Are you a third year too?” You flipped over the page he was working on as he tore off a piece of the bun and ate.

“Mm, I am.” A curt response.

A clear puzzled expression came over your face as you slightly frowned, trying to figure it out without too many questions. He wasn’t really a familiar face, even with his unique appearance. 

“Then your homeroom must be on the West Wing…” 

“Yeah, it is.” He tore open the second bun while you looked through his papers.

Your puzzled expression at this point dug a dimple into your cheek, he noted. His attention was half on you going through his blank papers, but primarily on the second bun. He stuffed the bun in his mouth to hold, and took the canned coffee into his now free hands to open it. He wasn’t particularly crazy about sweets, but the effects of having skipped dinner yesterday were finally catching up to him. The cream buns actually weren’t that bad…. They were sweet, but only slightly. The flavor had to have been green tea… 

You picked up the paper now, to prevent having to keep reading it upside down. It was definitely work you knew. But if he was a third year like you, and was just in a different wing, then the work had to have been the same. No, it was the same, because Orihime, and another friend of yours was also in the West Wing. So in that case, this work was just-

“You’re really behind, aren’t you?” You asked, finally putting the pieces together. As you shuffled through the pages, the work became more and more recent, up to the assignment you had just completed.

The orange haired boy choked slightly on the bitter drink, “I- ….. Yeah, I am.” 

He tried to laugh a little, but ended up just stuffing the rest of the bun into his mouth and finishing the coffee. To this, you laughed too, setting the papers back down on his book. 

“What’s your name?” This time you were able to hold his eye contact for more than a few seconds.

“Ichigo Kurosaki.” He leaned back in his seat.

“(f/n) (l/n). If you want, Ichigo, I can help you get caught up after school today.” 

The bell chimed, signaling the end of the break.

He gave you his number.


	3. roar, little mod soul!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the chapter titles really don’t mean anything they’re just cute to me 🥺
> 
> thank you to all the commenters and kudos givers! you guys are kind even though the story’s moving at such a slow pace haha. i wrote this to kind of flow like filler episodes, so it won’t see much of a plot shift until later on 😉 but trust me, exciting developments are coming!

You stood outside the house, double checking your phone to see if this was the right place. School had ended a little over an hour ago, and you had long since abandoned your uniform for your more comfortable (and cuter) casual attire. Standing outside though, you wondered why you signed yourself up for this position. He probably could’ve made it without your help…. If you were correct, he had some of the highest marks of his class. _Well, **had**_. But you felt inclined to help him get something off of his plate, especially since he looked so exhausted earlier…. You shook your head at yourself. _It’s normal to want to help people._ You rose your hand to knock, and your knuckles hit the door once before it flung open. Instinctively, you reached for the pink heart charm looped onto your skirt and took a half step back. Before you could react any further, however, a scruffy older man decked in a lab coat had pushed Ichigo…. A considerable distance away from the door. You let out a nervous sigh, a bead of sweat dripping down your brow bone.

“ICHIGO!” The man shouted, slamming his hand onto the doorway. 

You stared at him, taking in his broad physique and manly features. He… _sort_ of looked like Ichigo. Underneath all the body hair and….loud…. **loud** personality. You wanted to laugh, but you couldn’t really read the situation. Were you not an anticipated guest? No, was Ichigo not allowed to have company because of his bad grades?! Of course, if that had been the case, you should probably make it known that you’re here to help with th-

“You invited over a cute girl without telling me and your sisters!? No, could this be-” He stopped mid sentence to look you up and down, examining you from head to toe. 

“- your girlfriend?” You tensed, suddenly positive you had went to the wrong house. 

Without missing a beat, the man wailed all the way to a giant portrait of a orange haired woman. 

“Masaki, how could our son hide this from me for so long? Where does time go, and what do I do? He’s too pathetic to invite her over for dinner and the day she shows up unexpected, he doesn’t even offer her flowers as a welcome gi-” Ichigo cuts him off with a rough punch to the cheek, payback you suppose, for having been knocked out of the way of the door earlier. 

At this, you’re shellshock in general, unsure if you should leave now while you have the chance. You poke your head around the corner of the door, watching as Ichigo saunters over to the door. 

“Sorry about my dad, I don’t know what the hell his problem is.” He rolls his eyes, to which you cover your mouth to laugh.

You’ve only known Ichigo for a day, and it seems like you’ll be good friends. 

After slipping off your shoes, you bow to his father and thank him for allowing you in their home- and offer a promise to keep your visit school related to keep him from worrying. You follow Ichigo to his room, somewhat hesitant to enter at first, but allow yourself to sit at his desk in the end. He shuts the door,

“You know, you can sit on the bed if you want. I’m not as insane as he is, feel free to get comfortable.” He shrugs, and sits the corner of the bed nearest the desk.

You nod, “Thank you, I’m really fine though.” You sift through your bag and take out two notebooks and a pen. Luckily, the chair has wheels, so you slide it over towards his bed and sit in front of it. You stack the books next to his work and smile.

“I’m pretty organized, so we can easily catch up together. Just let me know what you don’t understand.” 

Hours passed before the two of you could realize, and nightfall drew sooner than expected. You hadn’t really expected Ichigo to be much of a talker, but he seemed to be comfortable around you enough to let you get a feel of his personality and home life. He was easy to work with, and surprisingly kind. Some questions he dodged, like how he had gotten so behind, to which he beat around the bush. But you didn’t hold it against him. School can be tough, and he seems to have a pretty decent work ethic, so perhaps it just fell on the back burner of his things to do. He told you about his mom, about his other friends, and his family. It was nice to know that side of him, and even though he hadn’t told you everything, there were secrets you were hiding from him as well. 

_Maybe in the future you could both open up completely, but until then…._

You took a deep breath and began to examine the room, finally getting stifled with the amount of material the two of you had been covering. The stuffed lion on Ichigo’s bed was cute. Almost familiar, but you weren’t sure what it was about the toy that drew you to it. When you picked it up, Ichigo seemed visibly uncomfortable, and you paused,

“Should I not have touched it?’

“N-no, it’s fine.” 

“Is it yours, or your sisters? It’s kind of cute.” You held the stuffed animal up close to your face, lips pouting slightly before you stuck out your tongue to mimic its expression. 

“It’s uh…” He trailed off, but you barely noticed the lack of a clear response by now, having had that reaction to more than one inquiry this evening. 

Without you noticing, Ichigo watched you play with the toy. He half wondered just what kind of ridiculous thing was going through the mod soul’s mind, but was grateful that it knew now would be an awful time to be himself. You gently stroked the lion’s hair, giving it a soft hug before putting it down and packing your remaining work into your bag. It had been the only thing haphazardly thrown to the side in the otherwise tidy room. It was soft, plush, and gave the faintest squeak when you squeezed it. It smelled like Ichigo… fresh, clean, and a subtle woody musk hinting at him possibly owning a few fragrances to spritz on before school. 

The scent would probably smell even better radiating off of his warm body beneath your arms… but this hug from the stuffed toy will suffice, you could offer Ichigo one some other time.

 

“It’s a little late, so I should really go. It was nice meeting you today Ichigo, we should study again together.” You bowed gently and took your bag into your hands, gently setting the lion in between the collection of pillows at the headrest.

He yawned, “Geez, you’re so formal sometimes. We’re friends now, just come over whenever you want.” 

You shrugged, “Isn’t that rude?”

“What part of **friends** didn’t you get?”

Sort of taken aback by his bluntness, you felt your cheeks warm at his statement, “Well, I just don’t want to come at a bad ti-”

He stood up and opened his door, “If you let the first impression my dad left on you today be the judge, everytime you come will be a bad time. Trust me, it’s fine. Just do what you want.” 

“If you say so.” When you had finally made it outside, you had to practically beg him to know you were capable of walking yourself to your apartment. You ensured him that you knew the way and could handle yourself in a shady situation. Even when his phone beeped and you tried to convince him that he probably should go home and handle the texts he had, he insisted even more on walking you home.

You wonder if he knew there was a hollow nearby, and if that’s why he wouldn’t leave until he knew you were in your room safe.

“She sure got you out of your funk, Ichigo.”

“The hell are you talking about?” The bright haired boy switched from his Soul Reaper form and took the mod soul out of the gigai, switching back into his body and putting the creature back into the stuffed animal.

“That girl from earlier! She’s one of your classmates isn’t she? She’s kinda cute~ Too bad you didn’t make a move on her, all that studying was boring as hell!” Kon bounced onto Ichigo’s lap with a squeak, puffing up his chest and pointing at it with a felt claw, “If it were me, I would’ve tried to peak up her skirt while she sat cross legged on your desk chai- AH!” The stuffed animal hit the wall across the room with another loud squeak.

“You’re such a fucking perv. If you’re smart enough to notice that we were studying then you should be able to read between the lines and figure out that we were doing that for a reason!” Bare knuckles clenched to the point that they were white.

Seemingly unhurt, the stuffed toy bounced back up, “You’ve never cared much about school to this point! I’m just saying Ichigo, you must like her~ At least don’t be boring next time, say, when she’s helping you score an A on your next test, ask her about her C, I know you noticed it.” A suspicious laugh escaped his lips, and Ichigo was almost too afraid to ask.

“Her C?”

“Cups~” A shoe met him in the face. “Damnit! You know you were staring, I’m just trying to help you out!”

“I’m not gonna take your lame advice! Now shut the hell up!” He fell onto the bed, visibly flustered, snatching the blanket and wrapping himself around to turn and face the wall.

Rubbing his face, Kon feigned a sob as he climbed the bed to lay at the foot. Even though he was just being abusive, it felt like the old Ichigo. He was in a good enough mood to joke around with him tonight, and that was something he hadn’t done much of lately. He even went after a Hollow and came back home tonight. Kon was sure Rukia would be surprised to see Ichigo in a better mood these days, and they’d both be grateful to (y/n) for helping get Ichigo at least out of the house. 

Elsewhere, you sneezed on the phone with your dad.

“Mm- you alright, (y/n)?” 

You rubbed your nose, “Yeah, I’m fine. It feels like someone was talking about me though....”

“Maybe so. Say, are you free to help me tomorrow after school with the shop?”

“Of course, Papa… but I may have to come after I help out a friend.” You tucked a hair behind your ear, suddenly nervous about your word choice, “er- I mean I’ll come help you first. What did you need help with?”

A laugh roared through the phone, “Oh? It must be someone you like.”

You stayed silent for a few seconds, unsure of exactly what he means behind that. Of course, you like your friends, which is why you’d help them no matter what…. But knowing him, he probably thinks you’re out being promiscuous with some high school boy….. But is it promiscuous! You’re old enough to do whatever you want, right? Then again, it’s probably inappropriate to- wait this is Ichigo you’re thinking about! 

“I’m really just helping a friend with some work, you have my word!”

“Aw, how boring. It’d be fun to see you bring a boyfriend to the shop for once~”

“In that case, it’d be nice to have a mom.” 

“Oh ouch, and to think I went and adopted such a cruel daughter out of the kindness of my heart.”

“You started it.”


	4. hello, old friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i nearly forgot today was friday we almost didn’t have a weekly update——
> 
> lunaescence is back 🥴 one of my chapters for this story was rejected 🤦🏾♀️ i wrote too many chapters of this story in advance to try and fix my tense changing issues in all of them but i’ll try to handle it better in the future lol. have a great one guys, thanks for reading.

In three weeks time, you had become pretty good friends with Ichigo. Of course, you didn’t have the same class, so you only saw him on the rare occasions that you’d both decide to go to the empty classroom and share notes and lunch. One of his friends, Keigo, you believe, had caught the two of you exiting the classroom one day and nearly knocked himself out trying to run into Ichigo and ask him what he had been doing alone with you in the dark room. Admittedly, it wasn’t the best picture, seeing two high schoolers leave a dark room that no one uses at the back of the hallway together. And Keigo hadn’t made it much better when he accused Ichigo of smelling too much like a girl to have kept his hands to himself in there- which you had to explain was just the result of having shared the cream buns together in the room that your dad gave you. Of course, he had already made up his mind that the two of you were all over each other in that room— _but who would really believe him?_

Truth be told, that was the most eventful thing to have occurred between you and Ichigo’s friends, and, the most recent of an event to occur between you and Ichigo **at all.** He hadn't shown up to school for nearly a week and a half now. You'd normally walk with each other to the train, where you'd board to head home and he would part with you to go to his, but even those moments of companionship seemed to lessen before disappearing along with him. Unintentionally, you found yourself taking extra care to simplify your notebook for him to study whenever he returned. Your friends were great company, but not seeing Ichigo felt like more of a significant loss than you wanted to admit. 

The cool Autumn breeze shed leaves from the trees as you walked to your dad's shop from school. You hadn't bothered changing out of your uniform, but typically no one really visited the shop, so there wouldn't be too much of a fuss for you staying in your attire. He'd probably just have you collecting together his notes or running out to buy something anyway. _Things were slow these days._

With a soft greeting, you entered the shop, trading your school shoes for a pair of slippers. You unwrapped a candy from one of the shelves, careful not to grab the wrong one before popping it into your mouth. Heavy footsteps trailed into the front room, and a large man sporting a pair of reflective glasses peers in, 

“Lady (y/n), welcome back.”

“I keep telling you Tessai, you don't have to call me that. Me and you are practically of the same status.”

“Hm, perhaps. And perhaps not.” He handed you a cup of tea.

You nod to thank him and take it as he slips back out of the room. In any case, Papa should be around soon with a task for you. You slip off your bowtie and toss it in your bag, and even opt to unbutton one or two of the buttons on your shirt- but only to loosen the tension around your neck. You keep your pullover on, and kneel on the wooden floor, taking slow sips at your tea while you wait. It really is comforting, the traditional appearance of Urahara's shop. 

You grew up in the Soul Society, and while you were many years younger than him and his immediate friends, ranking into his squad while he was a Captain was one of your **highest** accomplishments. You had hoped to be his lieutenant one day, and followed him around like a lost puppy any chance you got. Who could blame you though, you were so young, and he was one of the more _approachable_ members of the squad. Your ability to remain calm and organized on and off the battlefield made you a good assistant to him for his projects, and when he was exiled, you rethought your loyalty. Was it really to a Society that was slowly crumbling under the influence of those with clear evil hearts? You couldn't tell. There were plenty of good people in the 13 Court Guard Squads, and the mantra of helping the helpless souls of the world was good in theory… But just where was the line between wrong and right? What gave anyone the right to decide? What was right to you was protecting your friends… Thus, you followed Kisuke to the world of the living. Your hardworking nature followed you, and you remained loyal to your Captain. Of course, he convinced you that in this world, calling an older man “Captain” wasn't the social norm, and since he had practically raised you already, it was suiting for him to take on the “father” role. 

On your last sip of tea, the man heavily on your mind finally walked in.

 

“Oh, (y/n), what a pleasant surprise~”

“Ah, well I just happened to be free today. I thought I'd come by to see if you needed any help today.” 

A shrug, “I'm sure I can muster up a task, since you came all the way here to see me. Kind of cute though, my long lost child stopping by to see me, you must've secretly missed me.” He laughed with his fan covering his smile, and you were about to offer a rebuttal when the door slid open.

Sitting down, you could only see the outline of long legs towering near the door frame. They bent one by one, taking off shoes and placing them next to yours. Slowly lifting your gaze to the guest, your head tilted into a curious pout. The person sported casual wear, a tee and jeans, and his toned muscles flexed even with the minimal movements he had made after his entrance. 

“Sorry for coming unannounced,”

That voice was familiar. 

Eventually, your eyes trailed up to the speaker's face. His golden brown eyes, bright and fiery hair. Deep yet soft voice that hid sincerity behind its roughness. You were gawking, but it couldn't be helped. You hadn't seen him in days, he disappeared without even telling you where he was going- but for him to show up here of all places? It was almost impossible… No, it was confusing, and you grew flustered watching him, as a flurry of emotions overcame you.

“But I need a favor.” He still hadn't shifted his attention towards the two of you quite yet.

Urahara raised a brow at you, then flickered his gaze back to-

“Ichi...go?”

Honey toned eyes widened at your voice, startled, but he looked especially shocked when he finally made eye contact with you. He fumbled with the door a moment, sliding it shut searching for a way to respond, but only confusing himself as he tried to put together any reason you would be in the shop… the shop, you had told him, whenever you would eat lunch together that your dad owned a shop. No, **hell** no, this… Was this that shop?

“Well Ichigo,” Urahara started, snapping his fan together, obviously sensing the tension in the room, “You sly dog. If you wanted to ask my daughter on a date you could have at least brought an offering gift~”

As if that set off a fuse, “Wait, ask your dau- what the hell?! There's no fucking way (y/n)’s your daughter!”

“Well, now the answer is hell no, since you're questioning our relationship. Adoptive parents are just as good~”

“You literally told me you didn't have a family!”

“Well if I told you about my daughter sooner you'd be eyeing her all weird like you did just a minute ago~”

“I- that's different! How was I supposed to know she'd be here?”

“Mm, no clue. Guess you didn't plan asking me for permission to take her out very well. The answers still no, by the way.”

**“T-that’s not what I came here for!”**

He pointed the fan at him, “So now you're saying she's not good enough to take out?”

Ichigo flushed red, now even more spastic than before, “That's not what we're talking about, and I never said that!”

You stood up, now frustrated with the lack of explanation from both parties. It was one thing for Urahara to skimp out on mentioning he was working with your classmates. You weren't a soul reaper anymore, and your old captain always had plenty on his plate, you trusted him to notify you of anything that he felt you needed to know. And if he hadn't gotten around to telling you this, he probably just figured you didn't know the kid enough to care. But for Ichigo to disappear from school, for whatever reason. To leave you worried, while you're constantly considering him. Bringing an extra lunch for him just in case he's too busy and forgets to grab one himself… Doing extra schoolwork to make sure he'd have an easier time whenever he came back, regardless of however long he'd be gone. You could chalk that up to your own foolish feelings of loyalty. You could care less about Urahara's childish way of changing the subject, you wanted answers. You wanted them now.

“Kurosaki.” There was a hurt in your voice that was hard to disguise. 

Ichigo and Urahara paused in their banter.

“What the hell is going on with you?” Brows furrowed, and arms crossed as a stern look took over your features. A nervous expression came over his face.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean who the hell are you to abandon your friends like that, don't you know how much I've been worried about you?! Don't you know how many times I've been to your house, looking for you? You… you said we were _**friends**_! If that's true, how long are you going to keep lying to me?” Your fists clenched, and you tried to swallow your anger by looking away from him.

“And to make matters worse, you walk in here like everything's normal. Like you haven't been just acting like I….like me, or any of your other friends exist.” You shook your head, then turned around and headed towards the door leading downstairs. 

Your words at this point were becoming harsher and hoarser, as to make it more obvious that you were choking back tears. Were they out of anger, sadness, or relief? He was fine, you were grateful… but he also didn’t seem to be nearly as concerned about yours, or anyone else’s feelings…… No, that couldn’t have been the case….. He had to have been here, of all places in the world for a reason…. But it’s not your place to keep coming up with excuses for him. With blurred and red eyes, you gave him one last look before turning your back.

“(Y/n), wait, I-” You slammed the door.

Urahara scratched his head, “I'd...give that a moment. She's not that easy to work up…It’d probably be best to let her cool off.”

Ichigo sighed, of course it would. You were one of the most patient people he had met. You had offered him so much since meeting him, it was unfathomable to realize that he had pushed you to this point. He couldn't blame you for being upset though. It was as though he was just taking everything he could from you without offering anything in return. It was unnerving, the how he ended up hurting the ones he desperately wanted to protect.

Eventually, the door over the stairways to the training ground opened, and Ichigo and Urahara made their way down. You had long since cooled off, and only stayed in to clear your mind.

“(Y/N)!” 

You looked over at Urahara, raising a brow. 

“I shouldn't really be the one to tell you this, but I'm sure there's plenty else he can tell you later to fill in the blanks. Ichigo's a substitute soul reaper. He wants a little extra training, so I figured you wouldn't mind helping him out.”

You wanted to be upset with him, and to decline the proposal, but you couldn't. You were loyal to the both of them. 

“ **Fine.** ” You took off the heart charm tagged to your skirt and flipped open the compact, pushing the button. It was one of Urahara's inventions, a charm that allowed you to switch back and forth between your gigai and your reaper form undetected. In your soul reaper form, you didn't wear the traditional uniform, it just allowed you to wield your zanpakuto in your current body without being seen by humans. 

You could see the doubt in Ichigo’s eyes, his amber eyes were so easy to read… They clearly were sending a message, even if he refused to look in your direction.

Haven’t I hurt you enough. 

Your brows furrowed, all the recent frustration you had attempted to wash away alone in this room suddenly rising back up into your chest. Lies, he was full of them, and he still couldn’t even bring himself to tell you the truth now. 

“In that case, good luck Ichigo!” He left without a trace.

Ichigo’s blade was large, the perfect defense and a powerful offense. Your sword kept a traditional appearance, the only differentiating feature being the heart charm that dangled off of the loop of the guard. He hadn’t moved from his spot, but you didn’t have the mood for pleasantries right now. With a steady and firm vault, you struck down a solid attack aimed at his head. 

Noticeably startled, the boy blocked your hit with his blade, suddenly forced to look you in the eye. Adding more force, you managed to push him a few feet back, driving his feet into the dirt. He was too defensive, and while you knew this had to just be the result of confusion (admittedly, the two of you had learned a lot about each other that couldn’t have been easily guessed), you were ordered to train him, and you were going to force him to take you seriously. 

While he tried to regain his composure, you threw your zanpakuto in the air with a graceful spin, drew back as much strength into your arm as you could muster in such a short feat, and sprung your clenched fist into the side of his jaw. You almost felt bad for the guy…. But he was a tough kid. 

Unrelentless, you caught your sword by the grip just in time before it could hit the ground, and swung it around towards the boy again, over and over, pushing him even further back as he blocked you move after move. 

Tactical fighting was your strong suit, and the reason you were able to rank into your old squad with such ease in the past. Your flexibility with various opponents made you a prime team member, and even now, years after abandoning the Soul Society and all of its duties, you still had it. With just his spiritual pressure alone, you could tell the Ichigo you once found helpless in the old dusty classroom was as powerful as they come… But he was just as dense. 

“Don’t you think you should’ve tried to attack me by now, Ichigo?” You teased.

A grunt, “Tch,”

He pushed you back from your last hit, but still made no effort to offer an offensive move. You rolled your eyes, now visibly annoyed. With most opponents like Ichigo— the ones who were obviously physically larger and stronger than you, your best move was to overwhelm them with attacks. Leaving them with no opening to overpower you gave you the upperhand to play out various options in your head. Even if he caught on, you had plenty of experience enough to keep him at bay.

The two of your swords clashed at the same time, and while initially shocked, you smirked when you realized he was finally — but slowly starting to attack back. Swords clashed again numerous times, and with his next attack, you feigned letting him push you into a corner with his strength. The sharp clank of swords ringed in your ear, and your charm dangled helplessly and he pressed forward. After letting the boy push close enough against your frame, you took one hand off the grip of the sword, pushing him one handed meters away from you.

In your free hand, you had been charging a kido, and just as he thought he had nearly regained his stance, you fired the laser of (f/c) spiritual energy at him. When the dust of impact cleared, it looked lile he had barely made it out of the way, but managed to suppress some of the impact with his own spiritual pressure.

Somewhat battered up, he huffed out, “Fuck, you really aren’t gonna take it easy on me, huh?”

You laughed, head tilting as you watched his frustrated, but eager expression as he pulled himself up.

“What are you gonna do about it?” 

“Guess I have no choice but to fight back.” 

The continuous clank of swords could be heard for the remainder of the evening.


	5. you look like a normal girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 🥳 welcome back to golden hour!!!!
> 
> lol sorry for being mia i work two jobs now 🚶♂️ 
> 
> as an apology i’ll give you two chapters today 💕

Two exhausted teenagers lay sprawled out on the ground. The fiery haired boy smiled, even through his weary and scratched face. He had caught a few bruises, but the joy he felt from a fight pumped an adrenaline through his veins that was hard to contain. Even more, he had spent the day with a _friend_ , and laying there talking to you made him feel himself again. Sweaty strands of your hair stuck to your face, and you chest bobbed as you struggled to catch your breath between laughs. You weren’t **nearly** as beat up as the boy on your side, but you shared the same sense of excitement as he did. 

“I still can’t believe you’re actually a Soul Reaper...you just look like….like….”

“Like a what?” You asked slowly, eyes fixated up at the bright sunlight sky of the training room. The weather and time of day didnt seem to change in here, but you wondered if the sky outside in the world of the living now was a rich blue speckled with stars.

“Like a...normal girl.”

You remained silent, unsure how to reply. Weren’t you, _at one point_? Weren’t you now? With him it felt like it...like everything was natural. The decades you held over him didn’t seem to exist; you weren’t two soul reapers training for a battle that never seemed to end— you were two high school kids enjoying the life’s smallest moments together. 

Seconds of comfortable silence passed, but Ichigo interrupted again to speak, voice now a bit calmer, “Even crazier that you’re that perverted old man’s kid.”

“Well, not literally— hey what's **perverted?!** He was my Captain, and he’s...he’s **mostly** alright!”

He laughed, “You don’t think it’s weird he has you call him _Papa_? That old freak’s _twisted_ , he obviously gets **something** out of that.”

You scoffed, “Oh, whatever. Both our dad’s are a little...odd in that case. Don’t you know whenever I came to your house looking for you, your dad tried to get me to move in— he claimed you’d probably show up more often if you had a cute girl to come home to.”

The both of you shared a laugh, before suddenly serious, Ichigo shot up and leaned over you,

“Wait, you came by my house?”

With the boy towering over you, you paused. His features suddenly were serious, and you forgot how stern of a look he could develop. 

“Y-yeah. You told me I could…. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.” You shifted your vision back to the clouds passing over him.

He frowned. 

“I….. I’m sorry. I never really gave you an apology this whole time.”

“Hm?” You looked back into his deep brown eyes.

“Really. I… I’ve had a lot on my plate, and it stressed me out how **helpless** I felt knowing I couldn’t always save all of my friends. You’re one of the ones I want to protect, you know… And I figured I should just take the time out and find my own inner strength, and well….strengthen it.”

You kept his gaze.

“I didn’t mean to push you out, or blow you off like that.”

“Ichigo.”

You pulled him by the collar of his uniform into a hug, wrapping your arms around his neck and burying your head in the crook of it. You let it linger, letting yourself indulge in his warm body and the familiar smell you recognized from before, but also letting him take the time to find comfort in your embrace. You smiled,

“It’s fine. Like you said, we’re friends….” You hugged him tighter, “So learn to trust me. I’ll be there whenever you need me. I’d fight for you…. I’d be there to listen… to take off some of the weight of your burdens…”

“I’ll be there for you whenever you need me, so stop being afraid to ask for my help. You’re not alone Ichigo, you’ll always have me.”

Your walk back home was quiet. The stars were bright, and the breeze was crisp. The wall of secrets between you and Ichigo had begun to break down, and without either of you knowing, the seeds of a stronger relationship were being planted.


	6. leftover tonkatsu is served best with karashi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 👩🏽💻 hello here is your second update as promised
> 
> i’ll try to get back to weekly updates! i mean i have no excuse a lot of chapter for this story are already pre written 🚶♂️
> 
> 1 like = 1 shame on me for not posting

As the afternoons grew cooler, the town of Karakura settled into the late Fall season. Leaves clinging desperately to the trees outside the High School were forced to let go of the branches as the wind pulled them away from the stems. They flowed toward the ground, and Ichigo watched them flutter past the third floor as he walked down the hallway. For it to be break, the school was surprisingly still. Soft whispers of high school girls scattering past the boy and brushing against the fabric of his pullover didn’t make much of a difference in the atmosphere. Small casual chatter strolled pass him and into classrooms, while others looking to join their friends on the rooftop for lunch exited out the door to the stairs with nothing but a soft click. 

Finally reaching the end of the hallway, Ichigo carefully slid open the door, poking his head in to find you gently sleeping on your arms in the desk in the back. He didn’t bother flickering on the lights, but slipped in and into the desk in front of yours. The two of you had long ago set up those two desks that way, so that you could sit face to face and work or chat. Sharing company together in the room wasn’t an everyday thing. Some days Ichigo ate with Chad and Renji outside, taking off if there had been the presence of a Hollow. Those days, you’d join Orihime, Tatsuki, and your other small circle of girl friends. You didn’t all have a class together, so catching up with each other on the rooftop was an activity you all looked forward to. 

Some days, however, you’d catch each other in the hallways and make a silent mutual agreement to join each other for lunch. 

That hadn’t been the case today. You stowed away in the room with one thought in mind— rest. The night before had been unending, as far as helping in Urahara’s shop went. Even after, you stayed up and finished the remainder of schoolwork you had, and figured if you were this worn out, Ichigo would be **twice** as much so, and stayed up even later fixing two bentos for the two of you to have at lunch the following afternoon. 

They sat on the space of the desk in front of you as you rest, however you forgot the detail of telling Ichigo that you had even brought him one. 

He eyed the lunches, taking the message even while you were unconscious and clicked apart the wooden chopsticks and dug in.

He watched you while he ate, studying the (h/c) strands of hair that fell over your face. Your lips were pursed slightly, and if he listened without chewing, he could hear the faintest and _softest_ snores.

You were cute.

It was easier admitting that, _even in thought_ , while you weren’t awake.

A swallow.

No, you were **gorgeous**.

Your lashes were long and your lips looked soft. He kept watching you, allowing himself to take in every detail of yours with you unaware. Determined, he noted the way a few of your fingers twitched as you shifted into a more comfortable position on the small desk. The uniform fitted you well. The pullover you wore was just _slightly_ too big, it slouched over one of your shoulders and exposed the clean white button down. The bow rested at your chest, covering even further any chance at a glimpse of cleavage, but perfectly accenting the curve of your chest. Following the buttons barely visible beneath your sweater down your waist, he stopped as the view of your gray pleated skirt came into view. 

Naturally, it was the same exact mini skirt all the other girls at the school wore. Your long legs weren’t covered by a stocking or thigh high sock he noticed, only half surprised since the weather had been cooling down so much lately. He flushed, suddenly realizing that your bare legs weren’t crossed, and if you moved them he could potentially catch a glimpse of….

He wasn’t typically this lewd. But it was normal, _wasn’t it_? For a high school boy to be curious... Excitement warmed in the pit of his stomach, twinging with guilt as he realized what he was allowing himself to do. He noticed the charm you used dangling the side of your hip. In the shadows between your legs, he could almost see a fabric the same shade of pink… Face more heated than before, he watched your legs move slowly, nearly offering him a clearer view of-

Your knees slowly buckled together, startling the boy back into a sober stare out the window. 

Stretching your fingers and arms on the desk you laid on, you rolled your neck, eyes still closed as you slowly sat up.

“Nn…” Involuntarily, the noise escaped your lips as ypu let out a drawn out yawn.

Eyes fluttered open, and as your vision cleared you saw the orange haired boy before you, as well as the empty bento box on the desk.

With a timid smile, your head tilted as you whispered, “Ichigo, when did you get in?”

You watched him nervously turn from the window back to you, and noticed the redness lighting up his cheeks. Confusion came over your face as you quietly asked the boy in front of you,

“Was it too hot— do you not like spicy things?”

He shook his head, flushing a deeper tone than before, turning back to the window, “N-no it was fine.”

You frowned. Next time you’d hold back on the spice. Everyone wasn’t a fan of karashi, but it was kind of him to eat the entire meal, _even if it made him burn up.  
_


	7. you are enough, you always were

Your last lunch together had been cut short, a Hollow had surfaced nearby, and Ichigo left in a hurry to go handle it.

Hollows had been appearing more often these days, and Urahara had already briefed you about the attack on the Soul Society— and Aizen’s threat to the World of the Living. Since you had known Ichigo, you knew him to switch in between moods whenever too much got on his mind. He’d let his anxiety over upcoming battles stress him out into a deep depression, and then he’d try and convince himself that in order to keep his friends from worrying about him he’d have to cut them off so they’d dislike him enough to not worry about him. You figured this cycle was unintentional, because even after the last spell, he was doing it again. You weren’t going to let him push you away this time though, you _meant_ it when you said you would be there for him.

The front door was open, but there wasn’t an immediate sign of anyone inside. You slipped off your shoes and walked in, careful to not slip on the hardwood with your socks. The path to Ichigo’s room had remained uninterrupted, and you slid open the door, assuming that it would be empty and rendering a knock useless. Before you, Ichigo was on the bed, face buried into a pillow.

You made your presence known with a soft spoken whisper, “Ichigo?” 

No response, but the stuffed animal at his bed sat up to look at you, so it _was_ a mod soul. 

You took a few timid steps toward his bed, placing a hand gently on his shoulder as you leaned over to check if he was asleep. The boy was wide awake, head turned towards the wall, but eyes blinking every few seconds. He was ignoring you, and to that you offered a frown.

Being so invasive in unwanted space wasn’t your style, but this was your **friend**. You dropped your bag at the floor near his bedside and climbed over him in the bed. Nuzzled in the small space between the boy and the wall, you forced direct eye contact by entering his line of sight directly. Initially shy in such close proximity to him, you swallowed the feeling and spoke,

“You haven’t been to school again for a few days.”

He rolled over onto his other side.

You sat up, raising a brow. Now in a kneeled position, you leaned over on the boy to catch a glimpse of his face again.

Now with a clear view of this side, you could see his arm wrapped up in a sling, and now took note of the cuts and bruises on his exposed skin.

Oh… “So you got beat up?”

“Can you get off my bed?”

It was your turn to ignore him. Instead, you gently felt at his shoulder, brows deeply furrowed as you investigated his injuries. A lot of them were still fresh, he was badly hurt from whoever… _whatever_ he fought since you last saw him. 

A Hollow? No, there was too much damage done. 

Your stomach turned as you thought about the pain he must’ve been in. Perhaps you’d ask Rukia later, or Urahara the details, since you knew it wouldn’t be an appropriate time to pester him about it.

Gentle fingertips trailed to his jaw, tracing the line of it to his chin and lightly tilting it to face you again. You couldn’t be there to protect him, but he was strong enough on his own. Strong enough to get past this feeling, strong enough to heal from this, strong enough to defeat whoever did this to him. Even through his sad eyes, you could see strength. 

“Let me be here for you.”

He froze, waiting for your next move.

You buried your head carefully into the small of his neck and wrapped your arms gently around what parts of him you could. Inching closer to him, your lips just nearly were close enough to him to graze his neck as you hummed, “It’s alright to be upset Ichigo. You always do your best for all of us. You don’t have to hold it in around me… sometimes you have to let yourself hurt in order to heal.” 

Your eyes shut, lashes tickling his skin as you nudged closer to him.

“But I know you’re stronger than you think. Accept the loss, and move on… Move onto the success in store for you, to the greatness you’re destined for…..” You felt him relax into your form. 

“But take today to let yourself be human. What you’re feeling… it’s normal. How often do you let yourself cry, Ichigo... Do you ever allow yourself to be human?” You combed your fingers through his hair. It was soft, and you loved the way he smelled.

“Be human first today, you can be the hero another time... In fact—“

Your gaze shifted to the ceiling, observing the beams from the setting sun dim the room.

“——Don’t think about winning or losing, don’t think about disappointing anyone or not being enough... Forget the feeling that you’re everyone’s saviour, just let yourself be your **own**. Breathe, heal, and just stay here with me…” If all you could do was let him feel like he wasn’t alone, it was enough. 

Moments passed before you realized the boy in your arms was crying, and you wiped at the hot tears without disturbing your position.

He thanked you for the comfort. 

He thanked you for letting him be a regular high school boy again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not me forgetting to edit the last two chapters🚶♂️
> 
> anyway how do you guys feel about the fluff 🥺 we still have some filler chapters before i shift it back onto a more serious note 🤧 thank you for reading! 
> 
> if you’re antsy for more read my free fic—— 😳🤫 
> 
> i think i want to start two more fics... but who knows! lol talk to you all next time 😉


	8. boys normally philander with girls between classes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why are my chapter titles like this 
> 
> anyway happy fic friday 🥳 i may be putting this story on hold for a while? im not sure.... i only have one more prewritten chapter 😂☠️ i mean i have a story outline but do i feel like actually writing.... ☠️☠️☠️
> 
> i’ve been trying to figure out exactly how i want this story to end 🤔 like i wrote it while i was watching bleach so that’s why i have so many uhh...filler type chapters 🗿 i kinda think its gonna have a second part, but i mean this story won't end for a while! we still have a lot to cover lolol the story hasn’t really started, we just laid some foundation down! i hope you all stick with me as we keep developing! hope to see you soon.
> 
> until then, keep an eye on my free! fic! i stopped it to finish watching the show and understand the characters a little better, and i mean i haven’t watched the movies 🚶♂️ but now i’ve got a good enough idea where to go with it! 
> 
> i also have another story coming out! i keep giving dead fandoms content 🥴 see you in the teen titans category 🤪

School resumed the next morning without much event in between. 

As you tucked your slippers into your cubby and adjusted your gym shorts, you saw a familiar orange haired boy outside chatting with Tatsuki.

Hurriedly, you exited around the gate and went to greet the two. 

You waved a quick greeting to the duet of friends, not wanting to interrupt their conversation. With a smile, the pixie haired girl acknowledged your presence. Tatsuki was a tough girl, and while a little brash on the exterior, her heart was pure and her love for her friends was genuine. She had welcomed you to the school with open arms, and once she discovered that you were as athletic as she was, the two of you had since shared a mutual love for the field. You didn’t join any extracurriculars quite like the dark haired girl before you, but the two of you kept a friendly competitive spirit between each when in class together. 

“Arisawa, (L/N), fall in line!” With a quick glance, you could see the rest of the third year girls in your gym class creating a formation around the track.

With an apologetic smile, Tatsuki turned to go join them, “That’s really my cue Ichigo. You coming, (f/n)?”

Without skipping a beat, you shook your head, “I’ll join you in a sec, I just need to tell Ichigo something.”

She nodded and jogged over to the track, “Got it, catch you in a bit.”

Brown eyes trailed down to meet yours, thumbs tucked into the pockets of his school slacks. In just a few seconds time, shadows of the few remaining leaves overhead the tree above you two swayed onto the boys face. He seemed to be relaxed, calm, and **content**. Seeing him without the same expression he wore the day before lifted your spirits, and a smile tugged at your lips. Seeing him like this was enough.

Breaking the casual silence, he spoke, “ **So** — what was it you wanted to say?”

Having been satisfied by his usual collected demeanor had reassured you the state of his well being, thus rendering your question inquiring about it useless.

“Oh, _nothing_.” Your eyes shut now as your smile puffed your cheeks slightly. Before he could ask why you were so giddy all of a sudden, the sound of footsteps inching closer to the two of you interrupted.

The two of you had now been joined by a blonde haired boy. He was tall, slim, and not a single hair in his jaw length cut was out of place. He wasn’t a familiar face, but then again, you hadn’t been keeping tabs on every student in the facility. Something about him though… You could almost sense the faintest trace of spiritual pressure….but there was some sort of mischievous aura behind it.

He smiled a large and toothy grin, “Well Ichigo, shouldn’t you introduce me to your friend?”

You could see annoyance taking over the other boy’s features.

“What a hottie~, I’m Shinji, gorgeous. Can I get your name?”

Taken aback by his sudden straightforwardness, your face flushed at the awkward situation. What was an appropriate way to even respond to that. A thank you? You settled for looking away at the building to the left of you, “It’s (y/n), nice to meet you.”

“Oh, you’re so cute and polite~. What are you doing here with a **brute** like Ichigo,” he laughed, wrapping a long and slender arm around your frame, hand lingering just centimeters away from your chest. 

“Why don’t you skip class with me, _I can show you a fun time_.”

Ichigo scoffed, becoming increasingly frustrated with the situation, but you spoke for yourself, “Oh, as nice as that would probably be, I’m not interested. I actually like this class.”

Feeling more chummy and confident now that you had offered him a response, the blonde let out another laugh and squeezed closer to your frame, hand grazing ever so _slickly_ against your chest— slowly becoming less accidental and more with purpose.

“Ah, you do look like the athletic type. Your body is actually pretty cute, (y/n)~. Crazy, you even make the gym uniform look good.” You felt his eyes studying over your bare legs in the shorts, and moving up to the t shirt draped over your torso. His long fingers now rested comfortably on your chest, to which Ichigo now spat out,

“Alright, you made your point. **Now leave her alone** , she doesn’t wan-“

You grabbed the blonde boys hand, giving it a firm squeeze while it rested on you, “It’s alright Ichigo.” You smiled, “I think Shinji is enough of a gentleman to understand what **no** means.”

Now, using the same strength you would on a Hollow, your small soft hands gripped his until the color faded from red to white and a small crackle could be heard. 

“ ** _Right_** , Shinji?” Your smile didn’t falter as you looked up to him, pleased with the now pained expression he wore.

“R-right!” You let go, laughing softly as you watched him hold his now swollen and throbbing red hand.

“(L/n), that’s three extra laps for defiance! Fall in line, now!” The coach yelled, pointing his clipboard and timer at your direction.

You waved at the pair of boys, “Well, I should really go before I end up in any more trouble.”

Pulled out of his initial shock, Ichigo nodded, “Y-yeah, see you later.”

Now left with the boy as you jogged back, Ichigo watched the blonde leaning over, holding his assumed broken hand as he sobbed.

“ **Fuck! Why the hell is she so strong?!** ”

“I’m gonna have to say you earned that one.”

“Shut the hell up!”


End file.
